Convenient, No?
by midorigirl
Summary: It always starts off as just a matter of convenience...


Title: Convenient, no?   
Fandom: Naruto   
Pairing: I never tell you these things...just read it.   
Rating: Depends on what sets off your moral radar. I say G.   
Spoilers: None really.   
A/N: WOW...I stretched my rusty yuri/shoujo-ai wings and look what happens. glee

* * *

It started off for purely selfish reasons.

If Neji wasn't going to pay her the time of day, she'd go after the one thing that occupied his mind and take it from him. One Hyuuga was as good as another, weren't they?

She didn't even have to put much effort into it; she'd always gone over to his house for extra practice sessions. It was just a matter of going over to a different house and using the time Neji took with his uncle to flash the girl a mischievous grin.

She'd thought she'd have to get a bit farther before she got _that_ much of a blush on Hinata's face.

It set her back a few mental steps. But if the other participant made the task easier, why should she fight it? Willing was willing after all.

So she shifted a bit closer to the kneeling girl with tea tray and tilted her head back in that endearing way she'd seen Kiba doing. Letting the sunglint on her glossed lips leave a subconscious clue as she asked mundane questions about the other girl's social life. One hand trailed along the frog-buttons on her shoulder, and she caught the other girl looking. Hard to do with those pupil-less eyes but she had enough experience to know where they were looking.

She considered it a day well spent, when Hinata's hand brushed over that same shoulder as she saw her out of the compound in the deep reds of sunset.

After that it almost seemed too easy. Tag along with Neji for extra practices, throw weapons when needed and monopolize the attentions of the former Hyuuga heir when not needed. She knew she was succeeding when one day, weeks later, Neji's eyebrows knit together in annoyance while Hinata simply nodded at him and turned back to her. She had the girl's focus now...in fact she had both of their attentions, but she knew his would evaporate the moment she let up on Hinata.

And so she began to drop by when there were no scheduled practices at the Hyuuga compound. She'd had to bite her lip to keep from giggling the first time she had because Hinata had blushed so deeply at the prospect of having a friend come to call. At first it was tea in Hinata's reception room, comfortably relaxed despite the heavy air of tradition in the tea, tatami mats and wall scrolls. Girl sessions that would turn loud and have to be moved to Hinata's personal rooms when Hiashi would poke his head in, amused but stern. Always ghosting behind him was Neji, a light scowl now on his face whenever he saw her in the compound. If she felt she could get away with it, she'd return the favor with a smug little waggle of her fingers.

Taking the girl out of the compound was simply too easy for words. She'd thought she'd stumble a bit, suggesting that they go shopping in the market; but even the well-to-do and established Hyuuga Hinata-sama had very little time for simple female pleasures until recently. The girl seemed brighter as she shyly flitted from stall to stall, picking up baubles and hair ribbons. She rather liked it and found herself trailing a hand slowly down the girl's hair and neck as they stood together admiring jewelry. She'd snatched it away quickly, wondering if she'd nudged a line, but Hinata simply turned to her, brilliant smile on her face and pointed to a pendant she thought would look good on TenTen.

That was when she'd caught herself blushing a bit like Hinata.

She'd caught herself in her own trap, of course. She'd certainly made the other girl dependent on her for attention and activity but she herself hadn't planned on getting caught up in this little give and take. Had the other girl known about her plans from the start, her intention of taking her away from Neji to keep for herself? Perhaps, but it hadn't been in the plans to actually WANT her or that soft little smile to be directed _only_ at her.

She knew she was in too deep when one day Neji smirked at her over Hinata's head and she'd had to repress the desire to send an axe through his forehead protector. Killing him, while he stood in front of Hinata lecturing on Byakugan techniques, was hardly the way to cement their relationship.

She could wait...their little play over the last few weeks might have moved too fast to be healthy for either one of them. Good relationships took time to build. They were certainly never based solely off the desire to steal one from another. Those sort of relationships ruined entire countries in the history books, so she could sit back and wait for a stronger grip to develop on Hinata.

A week later when they'd pushed their faces together, amid hoardes of other teenaged females, to admire an adorable kimono in a shop window, Hinata turned quickly and pushed her lips into TenTen's cheek. The movement was lost among the riling pack of girls, but she'd frozen to her spot, immovable, eyes wide and mouth parted ever so slightly. Hinata had giggled softly in her ear and they'd both blushed. She'd tucked an arm around Hinata's neck, just friends for the world to see, and Hinata had leaned into her.

They'd talked later in Hinata's personal rooms since she wasn't about to let herself go without knowing if Hinata meant it. She'd been surprised that she was equally convenient for Hinata, as a non-threatening source of affection; no matter how hard she tried Neji, Hiashi and even Hanabi intimidated her. Where Hinata had been her easy excuse for revenge on a boy, she'd been an easy excuse for a girl looking to find a friend and human touch that went beyond a taijutsu strike.

It was just that neither one of them expected it to get this far. Secretly TenTen added the words "this fast" to their agreement. It was beyond a form of convenience for either one of them now.

Although sometimes she catches herself worrywondering, chewing her lips and glancing off down the hall. Is she here only because she's the quickest way to feel warm in the Hyuuga compound? And then Hinata smiles that smile meant just for her and leans in for a kiss, and she remembers that it's not about convenience anymore.


End file.
